Ruin
by CandyCake14
Summary: Alex has been kidnapped again by the remnants of Scorpia. That was fine. He'd escape and return to his normal life, well, as normal as his life could get. But things are never that easy, especially for one teenage spy. Not canon compliant. Yassen is still alive.
1. Chapter 1

He landed on the floor of his cell letting out a yelp. His captors lips twitched, but that was the only sign of his annoyance. Pale blue eyes narrowed in on the injured boy and he spoke. "I told you to leave when you had the chance. You stayed. That is why you're here now." The mans voice echoed down the long hallway, adding to the weariness of the soft glow of the lanterns lining the walls. "I can get you the medical attention you need if you would only give me the information I desire.

Alex glared up at the man who had chosen to save his life so many times in the past. He couldn't place it, but Yassen seemed different. When he 'died' on Air Force 1 to Cray, he was cool, calculating, albeit a bit dramatic. Now, he was ice. The few things that had made him human seemed to have disappeared-like he was unhinged.. Regardless, Alex had a streak and he was not going to fail a mission because of Yassen Gregorovich of all people.

Swallowing down the vile that had risen up his throat, he crawled onto his knees. "I'll never do anything for you." He stared directly at his captor and clenched his fists. Yassen raised an eyebrow at his forced bravado, but didn't speak. Alex took in a deep breath, flinching when he felt a cracked rib moving in his chest. "If you pay for my silence, i'll scream. If you beg me to speak, I'll sew my mouth shut." He looked into Yassens eyes, zoning in on the flicker of amusement that flashed there.

"I can arrange for your mouth to be sewn shut, or maybe I'll cut out your vocal cords instead." Alex's breathing picked up; his body started to tremble, but he didn't break eye contact with his uncle's killer. "Think on that, little Alex. It may not be my wish to do so, but I will do what is needed to complete my job." Yassen walked away with the grace of a cheetah and left Alex to his thoughts, no matter how twisted they may become.

He could feel his lungs burning, his body pulsing in pain as it tried to keep itself from deteriorating further. His arms pulled him down like lead and his legs felt as heavy as concrete. Dr. Three's methods were good. Alex knew he wouldn't die from this, the good doctor would make sure of that, but it still hurt like hell. For the umpteenth time, Alex cursed the MI6 for what they had gotten him involved in. He should have been in school, bored out of his mind with lectures but no, he was in the middle of god knows where because Scorpia, or rather what was left of it, couldn't leave him alone. Really, it wasn't his fault Julia Rothman couldn't let go of her petty grudge with his father.

He ran a shaking hand through his hair. Getting angry at the mess that had become his life would do nothing. He had to think of a way to escape. It wasn't the first time he'd been kidnapped and tortured- it definitely wouldn't be the last- but Yassen being involved changed the game. The contract killer was one of the best in the world; even after all these years, Alex still wasn't sure if he had what it would take to escape from him. All Alex really had was some sort of sentimentality Yassen had towards his dad, but even that small advantage seemed like it was gone.

Alex would just have to deal with that problem later. Right now, he had to focus on escaping. He would just have to hope that he didn't run into the killer when he set his plan into motion. Alex looked around the small cell he was in. He didn't see any bugs which was good, but that wouldn't help him now. The cell was made out of concrete, the door was locked. Maybe if he had a knife, or a bobby pin he could've opened it, but they had taken anything that could have been useful to him. Unfortunately, he would just have to make do with whatever he could. This would be hard enough even if he was in full health, but he was badly injured. A broken hand, cracked ribs, and an assortment of cuts and bruises ensured he could barely move. It was near impossible to think he would be able to get himself out of this predicament. But then again, he had done the impossible before. If he wanted to survive, he'd have to do it again.

The best time to do it would probably be when the guards came to bring him food and water. Usually only one guard came, armed with a gun and a taser. If Alex played his cards right, he could take him. Then with the weapons he would break out of the entire building and put this entire thing behind him. He'd go back to school, play some pranks with Tom, and eat dinner with Jack and-. Oh, who was he kidding. He'd have to report to MI6. At the very least, he would have to go to St. Dominics for medical attention. Alex wasn't blind to the fact that his position was compromised. He would have to lay low, maybe even stay in a safehouse after this. After all, MI6 wouldn't want their little toy more at risk than he already did. They needed him for missions.

Alex sighed. He really wished that he didn't only get protection because someone wanted him to do their dirty work, but at least it was something. For this plan to work, he would need as much rest as possible. Resting his body against the corner of the cell, he groaned. Inside his mind, he vowed this was the last time he was getting kidnapped. He was so damn tired of this routine. That was fine, he'd just have to be more vigilant once he got out of here. With that resolution in mind, he tried to get as comfortable as possible. Once he woke up, he was going to have a hell of a time getting out; best to be as rested as possible.


	2. Chapter 2

When Alex woke up, it was too the sound of clanging metal and shouts of pain. Gunshots went off somewhere down the hallway, along with heavy footsteps. He stood up, ignoring the protest his body made. Limping forward, he grasped the cold metal of the bars and began to scream and shout. With luck, maybe someone would hear and just maybe they would be on his side. There weren't very many organizations willing to go against Scorpia outside of the so called good guys so it was a pretty good bet.

Something danced on the ground in front of Alex and he instinctively ducked to the farthest corner of his cell. Years of instincts pulled together to force his body to move. A bright, orange and yellow light apparated in front of him and a rain of rubble assaulted him. Dust flew into his eyes and bruises began to form on his arms, but the cell was open. Alex didn't have time to think, he just ran, accepting his good fortune.

He leapt out and raced down the hall. The shots seemed to follow his path, bullets ricocheted past him barely missing. He had no idea where he was going, just that he had to go. Wiping the dust out of his eyes, he turned the corner, running straight into another body. An arm grabbed him tightly and he was slammed against the wall. White blinded him and ringing filled his ears. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest, the slight shaking of his body as it filled with adrenaline once more. Without thinking, he grabbed his assaulters arm and twisted it, bringing his fist down on the place he knew would break it.

With a shout, he was released and he began running again. Alex didn't bother looking back at the man he had just taken out. There was no time for that. Sweat traced its way down his face, and his hair slapped against his face. but he ignored all of it. This was the only chance he would get; small things like that didn't matter right now. Taking another turn, he could see the light of the sun coming from behind a closed door. His pace increased, and he pushed himself harder, ignoring his legs beginning to numb.

Alex threw open the door and was immediately blinded by the sun. Dark military vans were out in the open; soldiers ran around, occasionally firing their guns. He didn't pay attention to any of it. He took off running in the opposite direction. His heels kicked up sand in the wake of his steps, but he kept going. The wind rushed past him.

"Alex!" A familiar voice slowed Alex down until he stopped in his tracks. He turned around, looking back and saw a lean figure clinging to a helicopter, their clothes flowing back in the air. "Save yourself the trouble and stay. You know M16 won't come for you. There's nothing for miles. You will die if you don't come with me." If Alex didn't' know him much better at this point, he would've said Yassen sounded almost like he was pleading, as if he actually cared about his well-being.

Alex looked at Yassen and bit his lip. His eyes filled with determination and he shook his head. There was no way he would ever accept the help of someone like him. Once again, he took off, leaving behind the gunshots and terrorists he had become much to familiar with in the last year. Escape resonated in his mind, and maybe if he played his cards right, he would be able to leave M16 too. After all, the chance was there, he just had to be smart enough to take it.


	3. Chapter 3

The sweltering heat of the sun beat down on Alex's back as he kept running. He left behind the sound of fighting and gunshots and the clusterfuck that had become his life. He wiped away the sweat on his forehead and tried not to think about the way every step caused his body to ache; the way his head pulsed in time with his heartbeat. His eyes were starting to burn and tears were starting to form. Maybe this wasn't the worst situation he had been in, but right now, he was too exhausted to care. This was the only time he'd been completely alone in god knows how long so if he wanted to break down, he would.

Alex had been running for almost half an hour now and he had yet to come across any sign of civilization. Yassen was probably telling the truth about there not being any towns around but Alex couldn't go back to the fighting. If he could just find some water, he could keep going. Right now, that was all that mattered. He just had to keep getting away from everything until he had the energy to deal with it. It wasn't exactly running away, just...waiting for a better time, the same way a child waited to ask their parents for something until they were in a good mood.

Alex scanned his surroundings once more, taking in more of the delightful sand and cacti around him. Something whispered at the back of his mind; there was something about cacti he was forgetting but he couldn't get his mind to focus. The heat was getting to him; he knew he wouldn't last much longer without some help. His pace was already slowing down, every step seemed to get more painful.

With blurring vision, Alex saw a small, gray bird on the flower of a cactus. It stuck its beak in and with a start, he realized what his mind was trying to tell him. Ian had forced him to take part in dozens of situations and imagine even more. It was in one of the numerous lessons he had burned into his brain as a child. In a pinch, cactus could be used to prevent dehydration but only in the most dire situations. Most water was too acidic to drink without experiencing some vomiting and body aches, even the safest was still dangerous unless taken in very small quantities. But the fruit was different. If he could get to it, it might be his way out of this, at least until he could find someone. It'd be difficult to get to the edible part but it was the only chance he had.

Dragging his feet through the sand, he walked slowly towards the nearest cactus. It was taller than him but not by much, there weren't many fruits on it but it was better than nothing. Alex took off a shoe, and batted the lowest one off to the ground. He also carefully took one of the sharp spines that had fallen into the ground. Holding the fruit in place with his shoe, he plunged the spine into it, droplets of juice hitting his chin as he did so.

Laboring over even the seemingly simple task, he ate the fruit, being careful to not touch the skin protecting the outside. He seemed to lay there in the sand for hours. Even if he had been slightly nourished, everything still hurt. He was no stranger to pain, but usually he knew he was fighting for something important where others relied on him succeeding. Out here in the desert, there was none of that. Alex was trapped by himself, and he knew no help was coming. The hope was dying in him that he would survive.

Crawling onto his knees, Alex stood up on shaking legs. He shook his head; thinking like that was what made people give up, and if he gave up, he would most definitely die. That was an option he couldn't afford. He may not like M16, but he didn't think he could bare knowing Jack and Tom would be left alone. He had a lot of enemies and if he were dead, he knew they would go after them for vengeance instead. It wasn't logical, but he understood needing to take out anger on someone else. It was better him than someone he cared about.

He began to walk in the same direction he had been going. Eventually he had to hit some kind of civilization, right? If he walked far enough, there had to be some small town or a village where he could get help. With renewed focus and determination, Alex began to walk a bit faster. He would survive this; he had no other choice. He, at the very least, had to see Jack again, not to mention he hadn't given in his mission report yet.

Speaking of that mission, something had gone wrong. Someone had known he would be there and had alerted the newest villain. He was sure Yassen had something to do with it. There was little that man did that didn't lead to something unfortunate in Alex's life. Before the gunshots had started, he had been in an office, trying to download some data from a laptop. A guard had walked in and while Alex had been able to hide from him at first, he wasn't invisible. Even he couldn't hide from someone in an almost empty room.

When he was found...Alex furrowed his brow. He was having trouble remembering it. He knew he must have been hit over the head with something, probably the barrel of a gun. He bit his lip, drawing blood. It made sense he couldn't recall if he had a head injury; unfortunately, he was very familiar with the short-term amnesia that came with those.

He shook his head again. There was no point in dawdling over it. He knew there was a mole, but he couldn't do anything about it now. Right now, Alex had to live. Thinking about everything wouldn't help him. He could leave that to the so-called professionals once he got out of this mess.

While he passed the time in his thoughts, he passed over a large hill. Staring down, a small village stood. Alex could feel his heart begin to race and with a burst of energy he ran down, ready to finally see a person who hopefully wouldn't try to kill him.


	4. Chapter 4

Alex was panting by the time he reached the village. His lungs felt as though they were on fire and he yearned for some cold water. With aching feet, he reached the first house of the village and banged on the door wildly. As his throat burned with dryness, he yelled out for help, desperate for any positive interaction with another person.

With all the noise he was making, it wasn't long before he began to attract attention. Several men walked cautiously out of the other buildings, small children and woman trailing slowly behind them. When they saw Alex, their shoulders dropped slightly but they still looked warily at him, as if they were expecting him to jump at them, snarling and growling.

Alex tured around to face them and collapsed. He was so tired of everything, but at least now something was happening. In the vast expanse of the desert, it had all seemed hopeless, but with other people, with a chance of getting away completely, Alex let himself feel a sliver of hope blossoming in his chest. He knew he could survive this, just like he survived everything else the world had thrown at him.

The villagers seemed to lose all caution as he fell to the ground. They rushed toward him, whispering amongst each other. The children were ushered back inside of a building, while the men lifted Alex up and rested him against the door. Harsh instructions were pushed out, and water was steadily being dripped into Alex's mouth. He could almost cry with how sweet it seemed to taste in contrast to the heat of the desert. He felt like he could do anything now that he had slightly recovered. He was still injured from his time with his captors and Yassen, but at least now he was coherent enough to deal with it. It made things that much easier to deal with.

With shaking hands, Alex pushed himself up onto his knees and wiped the sweat off his forehead. The men let him have some space and gave him a canteen of water. Now that he was out of immediate danger, Alex let himself smile at the villagers and nodded his thanks. He stood up and took a long sip of water, easing his throat.

He looked at the men who had probably just saved his life and guess that they were some of the only people living there. He had counted 6 of them, and there probably weren't very many others who could survive for a long period of time out here. One of the men, the oldest of them Alex noted, stepped out of the group and walked towards him. He wore a large headdress and tunic, unlike the others who were all wearing tank tops and jeans.

The leaders voice was gravelly and much lower pitched than Alex had assumed. He was speaking and making gestures back out to the desert and the sun. Alex tilted his head and made a vague 'I don't know what you mean' gesture, pointing to the leader at the same time. One of the men huffed, but didn't say anything. Alex took that as his cue to talk.

"I don't know where this is. I'm just trying to figure my way back home. Thank you for giving me water, but I need to know how to get back to my life." All the men looked at each other vaguely. Alex sighed. Apparently he had no way of communicating with anyone here. Of course. Because why would his luck be any different now.

Just as Alex was ready to throw in the bucket and begin searching for a new way to get through to the people in front of him, an older woman walked out from behind the group of men. As she approached, the others tried to pull her back, but she waved them off with a walking cane in her hand. "So, you are lost and you seek a way home." She lifted his chin up, observing him from every angle. "I supposed I can help you. It may take a few weeks to get anyone out here though. Not many traverse these lands."

Alex grinned at her and nodded. "As long as I eventually get home, I can wait however long it takes." The woman nodded and pointed towards a smaller building. She began walking towards it.

"Then come. I wish to know how you came to be here." Alex followed, more excited then he could remember being in a long time. This woman had the same look in her eyes as Jack did when she was determined. He knew just based on that, eventually she would deliver on her words that she could get him home.

As he walked in a brisk pace beside her, he asked, "What's your name?" The woman paused, slowing in her walk.

She gave him a wry smile. "Names are a sacred thing, boy. For now, you may call me..." she pursed her lips, considering her answer. She then nodded, deciding. "I am called Arya, now come we have much to discuss. She walked into the building, but as she passed him, Alex couldn't help but notice the long, jagged scar that started at the back of her neck and disappeared underneath her dress.


	5. Chapter 5

Alex followed Arya into the small house, looking around for any potential traps. There wasn't much furniture, only a bed shoved into a corner and a desk cluttered with papers, two chairs sitting around it. Arya walked over to them and sat down, gesturing to the chair across from her in a silent demand. Alex cautiously sat down, his hands clenching the wooden arm rests.

"Now tell me, young one," Alex pursed his lips. He certainly didn't feel young anymore. "How is it you came across this village? Not many know of it's whereabouts." Arya leaned forward, staring intently into his eyes. He sighed and considered how much he could tell her. After all, there was a lot of classified information. He didn't particularly care about keeping M16's secrets. but he also didn't want to make anyone else bare the consequences of something he did.

Alex sighed. "I was...doing a job and some old acquaintances, of mine decided they wanted some revenge." He looked down at the floor, waiting. He didn't want to get into any details. That's where things tended to get messy.

Arya tilted her head and considered him, letting out a heavy breath. "I can tell you aren't being completely truthful." Alex's head shot up to look at her, almost as if he had been shocked. Honestly, it's not like he was trying very hard to be discreet, but her voice was so soft and understanding, it hurt to hear. "There are some things in the world I know not to be necessary for all to know. I only hope over your-" A single gunshot and a piercing scream cut her off. Alex's eyes widened and he jumped up, running out the door.

Gazing around he saw nothing; the town wasn't very big, so he took off to the opposite side. As he ran, he heard the flare of another gunshot. Ignoring his lungs protest at another harsh run through the desert sun, he sped through, crouching behind a barrel when he saw blood staining the side of a building. His heart pounding, he peeked out, trying to find the intruder.

Another gunshot drew his attention and he stood, rushing to reach the area where it came from; it was too late for that though.

A hand reached around his neck, pulling him into a tight headlock. Alex kicked wildly behind him, throwing his head back in an attempt to break his attackers nose. He heard a short sigh and the arm around his neck tightened. His hands clenched and his nails dug into the persons arm as he gasped for air.

The person's other hand came around, covering Alex's mouth and nose. He began to struggle even harder, but it was futile. He could feel his body beginning to fail him. As his eyes fell closed, he heard a soft, accented voice whisper, amused. "You really should know better than to fight me, little Alex."

* * *

Alex woke up handcuffed to a bed, all of his wounds bandaged. Looking around in confusion, he tried to remember what had happened. He couldn't quite remember, but he had a feeling he was in trouble yet again. Nothing really new. His eyes scanned the room looking for anything to help him, but it was empty aside from the bed he was in and a small drawer that was far out of reach. Alex let his head fall back to hit a fluffy pillow. So long as he was trapped, he figured he should at least get a semblance of rest. Absent-mindedly he began pulling against the cuff.

The sound of a door creaking open made Alex jump up as much as he were able. He was greeting with the unfortunately familiar sight of Yassen, his eyes as dark and cold as ever. Neither of them said anything; they only stared, waiting for the other person to make the first move.

Alex glared, breaking the tentative silence. "What do you want with me?" His voice was hoarse and tired, as if he had been drained of any fight he might've had in normal circumstances. Not that any part of his life could be classified as normal by any means.

"You will defect to me." Yassen remained unblinking, speaking as though he hadn't a care in the world.

Alex pulled harshly at the cuff. "No way. I'm not joining a psycopathic killer!" He ignored the pain flaring around his wrist, foreshadowing the future bruises that would no doubt set it in a few hours.

Yassen walked over holding a key in the air just out of Alex's reach. "You will do as I say or remain changed to that bed." Alex growled and spit out a curse before looking down and letting the tension leave his body. He prayed the contract killer wouldn't realize his trick. This might be the only chance he had and he fully intended to use it. He was through with people trying to coerce him by holding things just out of reach.

The Russian seemed to take that as an agreement and unlocked the cuff. Alex let his hand fall, his eyes flashing towards Yassen in unbridled glee that he had taken the bait. With as much force as he could muster, he threw his legs in the air, swinging them at Yassen's head. He managed to take him by surprise, leaving a small bruise. Using the headstart he had just won for himself, Alex sprinted towards the open door, tasting freedom on his lips.

He could hear Yassen chasing after him, but he didn't let that deter him. There was no taking back that now. Alex gasped as he was thrown against a wall, his back slamming harshly against the plaster, chipping off paint. An elbow slammed into his neck. His eyes began to water at the pressure and Alex found himself staring into rage-filled icy blue eyes.

"You will live to regret that. I will ensure it." Yassen's voice was as calm as always, but Alex could already tell, he was not going to enjoy what would happen next. With quick movement, Yassen slammed his head into the wall and he crumpled to the floor like a rag doll. "If you were anyone else." Yassen shook his head, clearing up whatever he had just been thinking. "Someday you will understand why this is necessary."


	6. Chapter 6

Yassen, with little effort, dragged Alex's limp body back to the bed. He placed him down tenderly, almost as if her were a parent with their newborn child. With slow steps, he handcuffed him again and stepped back, staring down at him. In a rare show of uncertainty, he ran his hand through his blonde hair and bit his lip. Taking one last glace at the boy he had taken into his care, he walked out of the room, not making a single sound.

It was several hours later until Alex woke up, duly noting that he was trapped once again. With a sigh, he let his eyes close, wishing not for the first time that he lived like a normal kid. He wondered if M16 were looking for him; they had to at least know something about his whereabouts, at least he hoped they did.

With a strangled yell, he threw his free hand onto his face, blocking out any light. Of course this would happen to him, that was just his luck. But just like always, he would find a way out, he always did.

The door handle turned Alex cursed himself for being so loud as soon as he got up. Yassen walked in carrying a large, black briefcase. Alex though for a moment about telling him to fuck off, but it only took a quick glace at his face to kill that idea. Although on the outside he seemed as calm as ever, his eyes were a hard, icy color and his lips were pursed into a thin line. Without saying anything, Yassen set the briefcase down on the floor and opened it. Alex couldn't see into it; he was sure that Yassen had done that on purpose.

Pulling something out, the Russian stared at him, almost seeming to consider what he would look like stuffed and mounted on the wall. He made up his mind and stood up, approaching the bed, a pair of pliers in his hand. Alex could only struggle wildly and watch with rising fear as Yassen kept inching closer.

"Your hand, little Alex." He said, not even a small amount of remorse for what he was about to do.

Alex pulled desperately against his trapped down, sweat dripping down the back of his neck. He could feel the skin around the cuff peeling and bruising from the force, but he ignored it. He had more important things to worry about then damaged skin. Yassen's brow furrowed as he got more frustrated watching him struggle. With little patience, he grabbed Alex's free hand, pulling it so the rest of his body had no choice but to turn onto his side and face him.

"This is not what I wished to do, but it is because of your own actions, remember that once I am finished." Almost in slow motion, Alex watched the pliers getting closer and closer to his hand.

"No! You don't need to..." He cut himself off with his own wails, trying to reason with the man. "I won't give you anymore trouble, I won't try to escape. I promise!" For a split second, Yassen stopped, and Alex let out a sigh of relief.

"I cannot trust you. Promises of this nature would be impossible for someone like you to hold," he cocked his head to the side and stared. "For right now, that is." With that, he closed the pliers around Alex's nail and pulled.

He screamed and never-ending tears fell down his face as he felt his nail ripping away from his skin, making blood pour from his finger. Letting out shuddered gasps and hiccups, he curled his legs into his chest and tucked his head in. Yassen shook his head and ripped the nail completely away from its place, letting it hit the ground with a small plop.

The man pushed Alex's hair away from his sweat-ridden forehead almost comfortingly. "Four more."

His body froze before beginning to shake violently. "I can't-" Yassen ignored him and moved on to next one, and the next, and the next. He pulled them out in quick succession, ignoring how loud Alex's screams were. His eyes were open wide, his mouth dropped open as he cried.

With little care, Yassen dropped the bloodied pliers onto the ground and sat next to the curled up boy. His hands made their way into Alex's hair and ran through it softly. Barely concealing his annoyance at what he was about to do, he pulled Alex into his lap and continued combing through his hair.

As his hair was being pet and he laid in Yassens's lap, Alex let himself pretend for a brief moment that he was a small kid again, back with Jack when everything was still okay.


	7. Chapter 7

Yassen's footsteps paced frantically against the wooden floor as he thought about his next move. He pursed his lips and sighed to himself. Truthfully, he knew he wasn't equipped to deal with a child, especially as one as tenacious as Alex. Of course, he knew theoretically what he was getting himself into, but it always ended up different in practice. Yassen supposed he should've been more prepared though; after all, the teenage spy always managed to exponentially destroy any expectations that were placed upon him.

It had been a few hours since he had put Alex to sleep. Yassen decided it was time for him to wake up. There were rules that had to be explained. He hoped Alex would follow them. It wasn't as if he had any qualms about hurting the boy, but it would make the process quicker if there were no arguments. Then again, Yassen let himself feel a faint flicker of amusement, it would be so much less fun if Alex wasn't his usual self.

There was a loud groan and a sharp intake from the guest bedroom. Almost like clockwork, he had woken up. With a quick sigh to center himself, Yassen opened the door and walked in. Alex was thrashing back and forth, almost falling off if not for the restraints he had put on the boy earlier. Yassen fought the urge to roll his eyes. Really, what was the point of this tantrum? It would do no good for anyone. Walking over to the bed, he stared down at the bed. He was still asleep.

Alex let out another gasp and his body closed in on itself like a dying spider. His knees pulled into his chest and his hands covered his ears. Then in another second, he was back to flailing, his hand almost smacking Yassen in the face.

The assassins eyes sparked dangerously and he grabbed Alex's arms and held them down. Almost getting hit by Alex's foot, Yassen threw his legs over the teens keeping him from moving completely.

"You will wake up," Yassen all but growled as he leaned into Alex's ear. This only caused him to fight against him harder, getting precariously close to throwing the Russian off of him. With growing anger, Yassen released his hands, and smacked him. With a sharp cry, Alex's eyes snapped open and met with his. Seeing the glare, he stopped moving, but his body wouldn't stop shaking.

Yassen quickly got off of him and sat down on the bed, appearing as regal as ever. "And what-" he glared down at the frightened teen, "was that about?" Alex was taking in large, gasping breaths and his eyes, although glued to Yassen, were confused and fluttering open and closed. Alex's hand reached up and he clutched onto Yassen's arm, pulling at his sleeve.

"Don't leave me. I can't-" He took in another gasping breath. "I don't want to be alone anymore." His eyes were filled with tears. He seemed to be looking for any kind of reassurance.

Yassen gripped the hand grabbing him just a little harder than necessary. He wasn't quite sure why, but his hand once again found it's way into Alex's hair, gently brushing through it. He could feel anger festering in the pit of his stomach, but he ignored it. "I will stay. You will never leave my side, little Alex. Without knowing what he was doing, he placed a chaste kiss on his forehead. Immediately he felt disgust with himself. This is a mistake. He wrenched himself away from Alex and grabbed the water he had placed on the bedside table. With no restraint, he threw it on the boy, making him cough and sputter.

"There. You will be okay. I will not let you go." He didn't know why he was still comforting the boy. Yassen all but ran out of the room. As Alex began to completely wake and wondered what the hell had just happened, Yassen sunk into a chair just outside of the room and buried his face in his hands, trying to remember just when he had begun to lose his iron composure.


	8. Chapter 8

Alex woke up flailing. Everything was dark and there was a chill in the air. His eyes opened and he was greeted with a starry sky. The moon shone brightly and the stars glittered like diamonds. He briefly allowed himself to register the beauty of it before noticing, just like before, that his hands were tied down. He looked around, but there was no one. There were only sprawling hills blanketed in pure white snow. He couldn't help but shiver as he was reminded of the snow peaks of Point Blanc.

A hand grabbed his hair and pulled, forcing him to look up at the sky again. He saw Yassen's face for a moment before a cup was raised to his lips and his mouth filled with water. It tasted odd, almost medicinal.

"Swallow." Alex considered letting it dribble out of his mouth just to spite him, but then he remember pliers and hesitated for a moment, but then he swallowed. As soon as he did, Yassen let go and walked in front of him, staring down at him coldly.

"Do you see now, little Alex? There is nowhere for you to run too. We are far from any civilization. If you were to escape, how far do you think you'd get before succumbing to the elements?" His hand trailed down Alex's face before pulling away, disgust clearly written on his face. Alex wanted to whine at the loss of contact, but that would've been too childish. "I will only tell you this once. If you try to leave, I will hunt you down. You would not get very far from this cabin before I put a bullet in your skull. It would be no loss on my part."

Alex bit his lip. Although he didn't know for sure, he had a feeling Yassen was lying. For just a second, his eyes had flashed with...something. Almost parental in nature. He found himself reminded of Jack again, but then he cursed himself for thinking of his captor that way. Yassen wouldn't have gone through all the trouble of bringing him here just to kill him. He didn't doubt the man would not hesitate to torture him if he had to though. Alex would just have to be very careful about when he made his move. He yawned. Even though he had just woken up, he could feel his eyes wanting to close. He was so tired. Everything seemed to be going in slow motion. Yassen's hand made it's way into his hair and he leaned into it, relishing in the physical contact.

Yassen removed his hand and Alex groaned. It seemed as though every last shred of comfort he had would be ripped away from him. The restraints on his arms came off, and Yassen picked him up bridal style. Alex sluggishly wrapped his arms around the assassin's neck. "You're warm," he burrowed himself further into Yassen's chest and felt the lull of sleep calling him.

"Perhaps the dosage was too high." Yassen muttered, carrying Alex inside. He laid him on the couch and picked up a clipboard. Writing in elegant script, he watched Alex and checked off a few boxes, listing the symptoms. Aside from a few...inconveniences, everything was going smoothly. Yassen grimaced. It was definitely all going according to plan.


	9. Chapter 9

Alex could still feel the cold chill of the night biting him when he opened his eyes. He still felt groggy as if he had just come out of a coma. A hand pushed away the hair that stuck to his forehead before walking away. Oh. Yassen was in a good mood. Today would be nice then.

It took a few seconds for Alex to register what he had just thought. He shook his head, trying to murder whatever part of his brain made him think something that horrible. No day with Yassen could ever be good! The man had murdered his uncle for Gods sake. It had to have been because he was just waking up. There was no way he would ever think that normally.

Alex dug the pad of his fingers into his arm, ignoring the slight ache from the bed of his nails. How long had he been here anyways? It had only felt like days but...he remembered the slightly medicinal taste of the water Yassen had given him. Drugged. It had to have been drugged with something.

He had to get out of here. Forget waiting for the perfect moment, Alex might forget who he was before that ever happened. He had to leave now.

Alex forced his eyes open, fighting through the heaviness that coated him in its tight embrace. He swung his legs over the bed and stood, trembling from the force of his own weight. He cursed himself for not doing anything sooner. He should've tried harder when he had the chance. Alex bit his lip, ignoring how chapped it felt.

Even if he had been given drugs, he shouldn't have felt this weak. It should've taken months for him to deteriorate this much, maybe almost a year factoring in how fit he was before all of this.

Alex fell to the ground; his elbow hitting the side table bringing it crashing down next to him. If Yassen didn't know he was awake before, he definitely did now. Alex took in a deep breath to calm himself. He opened his eyes and looked down at his arms. Even though he knew it wouldn't help anything, he wanted to cry.

He pushed himself back onto his knees and brought his arms up, staring at them in horror. He didn't want to believe it was him. It couldn't be him. Instead of the toned muscles and tan he remembered, there was only pale skin stretched taunt over bone, each vein clear to the eye. He made a fist and wanted to scream when he saw the hand in front of him do the same.

Alex ignored the sound of footsteps fast approaching in favor of breaking down. What was going on? He couldn't...he didn't know. Despite his life being changed to the whims of an uncaring government, he still had a semblance of choice on missions. Here, even his body wasn't him, maybe soon his thoughts wouldn't be either.

"Oh, little Alex." Yassen sounded almost sympathetic. No. Alex was just imagining it. He had to be. "It's been quite a while since I've seen you aware with your eyes open." He picked Alex up easily and dropped him back on the bed. "I wasn't expecting you awake for quite a while longer, but then," he grimaced, "you are a Rider."

Despite his dry throat, Alex opened his mouth. "What-" He swallowed thickly. "What did you do to me?" He managed to get out. Yassen considered him for a moment, and deliriously Alex noticed the beginning of a beard starting to form on the assassins chin.

"I did only what you deserved after all your crimes." He wiped a tear away from Alex's cheek. "You should be thankful to me, I would think; I have saved you from a life of being used as MI6's puppet. Alex bit his lip. _And how long will I last as your plaything_, Alex though bitterly. Sure. MI6 sent him off on suicide missions, but it had to better than whatever this was, right?

Yassen stood. "I recommend you get sleep; since you are functioning now, I see little reason why I should not start tomorrow." He seemed deep in thought. With quick movement, he slammed a hand down over Alex's mouth and nose, depriving him of air.

Alex kicked up and tried to push him off as his eyes bulged and his lungs gasped for air, but he was to weak to be more than a minor nuisance. He could feel his vision beginning to spot. He tried to fight it, but the lull of the dead was to strong to ignore.


	10. Chapter 10

Yassen bit his lip angrily and paced across the floor, his footsteps echoing in the barely furnished room. Honestly, what was he thinking!? The boy was a horrid mess; he couldn't help but want to pull out his hair. Even though he had thought everything through, Alex still managed to find a way to unravel every single carefully woven detail.

No, he hadn't tried to escape. Hell, to a point he was even beginning to comply with Yassen's orders. But he was so damn clingy! Of course, Yassen knew this was a side effect of the drug, but he hadn't expected it to be this bad. Yassen paused and he looked down at the corner of the table. Maybe if he thrust his head into the corner hard enough...

Alex chose this point to walk through the entrance of the room, gnawing on his nail. At one point, Yassen had thought he was trying to sharpen them to a point sharp enough to draw blood, but after some time it was easy to tell it was an old coping mechanism he had fallen back into.

"Yassen?" Alex's voice was timid, scared; ideally that was what Yassen had thought he had wanted to do, but..."Why are you mad? Did I do something wrong?" He was childlike, naive;nothing like the Alex that he once was. Yassen cursed himself silently for that. It was...off-putting seeing him like this. A fiery pit grew in his stomach.

"Come here." It was a quiet demand, one that proposed danger it it were defied. Alex crossed the threshold and stood in front of him, eyes staring straight ahead at his chest, never moving.

With little hesitation, Yassen grabbed Alex's shoulder and threw him down, driving his knee into Alex's chest.

"Why do you not learn!?" Yassen pulled him back up by the hair and lifted him into the air, staring at his pained face. Alex opened his mouth, but he didn't give him the chance to speak. Without care, he tossed him into the wall and sped out of the room, running a hand through his already tousled hair.

Alex laid on the ground, not daring to move a muscle until he was sure Yassen had left. With a grimace, he wiped the blood away from his cheek smearing it across his hand. His lips curved into a smirk. He whispered almost inaudibly.

"Checkmate Yassen. Just like all the rest, you're going down." He chuckled darkly to himself. "You'd think an expert assassin like him wouldn't have been stupid enough to leave the room and not make sure I was taking the drug." Alex glanced up, a feral look in his eyes as he listened to Yassen muttering in the other room. "Oh well, I'll just force him not to underestimate me anymore."

With unbridled confidence, Alex stood up and brushed the hair away from his face, a grin on his face. The predator had just become the prey.


	11. Chapter 11

There was a knife missing. He wasn't sure how, but it had to have been little Alex. It seemed Yassen had grown negligent. He crossed the small kitchen, ignoring his growing annoyance. If Alex was truly planning something, he couldn't afford to let anything more get past him.

Yassen all but pushed over the potted snapdragons he had bought on a whim as he rushed to Alex. He threw open the door, letting it slam against the wall, chipping the dark brown paint.

Alex sat on the bed, staring down at the palm of his hands. He briefly looked up when Yassen had entered, but he didn't offer any words of greeting. Yassen grabbed Alex's wrist and wrenched him to his feet, dragging him across the carpeted floor into the nearby bathroom. Without any explanations, he plugged and turned on the sink faucet.

"Do you have anything you wish to confess to?" Yassen gripped the back of Alex's neck tightly, pinching the skin there making it redden. Alex twisted around briefly, trying to escape his hold. He stared at their reflection's in the mirror. There was nothing in Yassen's eyes that gave away what he wanted though. He started to scratch at the pad of his thumb, letting the slight burn calm his nerves.

"I don't know-" Yassen shoved his head into the sink, barely missing the faucet. Something told Alex he wouldn't of cared if he had banged his head on it. He pushed back against Yassen trying to free himself from his grasp. Air. He needed to breath. He blindly kicked out behind him, hoping to kick the Russian hard enough for a small respite, but that did nothing but get his head shoved deeper into the murky water.

His eyes were vibrating inside his head, covering his vision in black spots. Alex took a huge gulp of air as he was let back up. He stared at his reflection in the mirror. His hair was plastered to his face and neck, and his jaw twitched uncomfortably. "The knife. Where is it?"

Alex bit his lip. He hadn't expected to be found out this early. Yassen had been unexpectedly lax the last few weeks. Something in his eyes must have given it away as Yassen shoved him back underneath the water. He tried sending his shoulder back to dislodge him. The hand on his neck got tighter. Without thinking, he opened his mouth and choked as water flooded into him making him gag.

He was brought back up and spit out water, his chest constricting. "I will not be so forgiving in the future. This is the last time you will do something like this." Yassen stared at him in the mirror. For a brief, insane second, Alex wondered if he looked the same to Yassen as he did to himself. Pathetic.

He was slammed down again. Searing pain filled his body. Yassen had miscalculated. Alex's head slammed into the granite counter top and his body went limp. His heart began to slow


End file.
